


I Think I'm Slipping Away

by Dikhotomia



Series: Whumptober 2k19: FE3H Edition [17]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Day 17 "Stay With Me", F/F, I gave you seven days of fluff, now have some PAIN
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-23 16:40:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21084497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dikhotomia/pseuds/Dikhotomia
Summary: "When things go wrong, how many times will it take to make them right?"





	I Think I'm Slipping Away

Edelgard bleeds.

It was catastrophic and wrong, every step of every plan broken down and ruined in a single misstep. A single lucky strike that caught her dead center and tore through muscle and bone and dropped her like a sack of bricks. So she stares, vacant and distant up at the sky above, clouds slowly overtaking the sun.

_Fitting_, she thinks, that it would rain.

Byleth looms just out of the corner of her eye, sword in hand and covered in blood that splashes ugly across her face and chest. She looks horrified, expression contorted in anguish, tears streaming down her cheeks. Teeth sinking into her lip hard enough the skin splits and blood trickles from it, adding to the smear already there.

"My teacher," she says, voice low and breaking around the edges, wet with the rattle of blood in her chest. "I'm glad that we were able to walk this path together."

"Don't," the professor croaks, her anguish coloring her tone and dragging her down to her knees at her side, sword forgotten on the ground behind her. "Please, stay with me."

_Don't die, don't go. Please please please_\--

She feels like she's had this conversation before, feels like that this isn't the first time she's been at death's door laying in wait for it to come and collect. "Edelgard. El."

Her eyes open and she pulls a breath that takes more effort than she wants to admit. She's cold despite Byleth's arms around her, the older woman holding her against her chest, face pressed to the top of her head. "El. Please, please don't die."_ Not again_ she barely hears at the end of it, words whispered and pleading.

_I don't know how many more times I can_ \--

Her brows knit together, confusion filtering through the haze that leaves her mind clouded and her thoughts sluggish. "What?" She rasps, head lifting slightly -- Ah, she can't see anymore.

"El. El."

Byleth is holding her tighter, rocking her and sobbing freely now. Begging her to keep her eyes open, to say something. "Stay, please, please, El." Lips against her temple, her forehead, pressed to her own. "I love you."

_I love you too,_ she thinks she tries to say, she thinks she probably fails._ I want to say with you._

_But I don't think I can._

Feeling goes, sound drains into something muted -

She doesn't welcome the darkness.

\-----

"Stay with me," Byleth says, fingers around her wrist, stopping her attempt to slide off the edge of the bed.

"Professor, you know I can't. The battle-"

"Please," the other woman begs, hold tightening, tone imploring.

_I've watched you die so many times._ Byleth had whispered against her shoulder when she thought Edelgard was asleep. Lips pressed to scarred skin and tears falling hot in their wake._ I hate it, even if I can keep saving you I hate having to watch you die._

_I don't know how much longer I can._

She thinks, and not for the first time, that she's heard this before. That she's been here before having this same conversation with the same results. She thinks she left each time, ignoring the warning and the pleading and Byleth's desperate hold on her wrist.

"Hubert can handle it, you don't have to go."

Edelgard gives, sitting back down on the edge of the bed and turning to face the other woman. "Okay," she relents. "Okay, you win...I'll send the order out."

Byleth's relief is almost palpable.


End file.
